Chapter 5

Adrenaline pumps through Harvey's veins as he steels himself against the harsh wind, his feet trudging through the slush of snow as he rushes towards Donna's crumpled form. His knees crash in front of her, slamming into the hard concrete, but the jarring impact barely registers.

She's unconscious—her arms wrenched and bound behind a rusted pipe, and he's afraid to touch her, terrified to check for a pulse in case there isn't one. He's overcome by a dizzying wave of panic, his vision tunnelling at the edges, but he blinks through the haze, enough to make out her chest rising and small wisps of air puffing from her blue-tinged lips. The sign she's still breathing sends him clambering around to undo the knots binding her in place, anger boiling beneath his concern as he works the tight cord. Someone did this to her, left her out here to freeze, and bile laps up his throat, leaving a bitter, acrid taste in his mouth.

As soon as the rope is unravelled, he slips back to catch her shoulders as they slump forward, his hand lifting to cup her cheek and support her head. "Donna, hey… It's me, I'm right here."

She whimpers, but doesn't open her eyes, and he manoeuvres them carefully, quickly shrugging out of his coat and fumbling to get the bulky material wrapped around her damp dress. The biting chill cuts through his jacket, the instant drop in temperature ramming home the state she's in, and he digs numb hands under her frigid body, making sure he has a tight grip before pulling them both up.

"I've got you," he murmurs, adjusting her weight to get his bearings. She isn't heavy, but the ground is slick with ice, and he pushes forward with careful, hurried steps, desperate to get them both inside in one piece.

He breaks the threshold, holding her up as he descends the stairs, trying to determine how long she'd been left exposed—struggling to process the act of cruelty. Blaine had set them up, and a new burst of white-hot rage flares through him. He should have called out the lawyer the second he'd suspected something was off. Instead, he'd waited, biding his time, while Donna was here, alone and suffering.

The bright lights of the lobby sting his sensitive gaze, but he pushes through the doorway with Donna still in his arms, letting the metal clatter shut behind them. Mike is there, one foot in the elevator, and he barks at the man to stop.

"Mike! Blankets, tea… anything you can find, now."

Mike turns, confused by the snap, until he catches sight of Donna, and his eyes widen with panicked concern. His first impulsive is to ask what the hell happened, but Harvey is already rushing by, and his second reaction is to move—racing to find what he can to help.

Harvey bursts through into his office, his feet kicking towards the three-seater in the corner, and he gently places Donna down, coaxing his wife to sit upright. "Donna, come on… You need to wake up."

"Mmm…" Her voice croaks weakly between them. "It's...c...old."

"I know." He takes hold of her hands, rubbing them vigorously. "Donna, hey." He presses her to stay with him. "Open your eyes for me."

A few seconds pass before she manages to follow the instruction, her gaze glassy and unfocused, pooled with a jarring confusion that cuts straight through him. He doesn't want her remembering—sick to his stomach thinking about what she'd been through—but he forces down the nausea trapped in his throat, focusing on what he can do now, instead. "We'll get you warmed up, okay?" She nods, still not fully lucid, but he reluctantly lets go of her, moving in search of the gym bag he has stashed away.

His heart races as he fumbles with the zipper, pulling out the slacks and weather-proof skivvy he usually runs in, clutching the dry bundle in his hand.

He kneels back in front of her, taking in her vigorous shivering as a positive sign. The reaction means her body is warming up on its own, and he scans over her pale face, checking to make sure he hasn't missed any injuries. "Can you move, does it hurt anywhere?"

She blinks, groggy and not sure what he means. She doesn't feel anything except cold, and fights through her chattering teeth, shaking her head.

He's not completely convinced, but getting her dressed will give him a better idea, and he slips off her heels, guiding her legs into the open pair of slacks he's holding. He gingerly helps her to stand, shrugging the loose material up to her waist and cinching the knot to keep the trousers in place.

Removing her dress proves more challenging. There are still people roaming about the floor, and he shields her with his broad shoulders, trying to protect her modesty as best he can, while helping her into the skivvy. The clothes dwarf her smaller frame, but her cheeks flush with a little more color as he seats her down again, slinging his coat back around her shivering body.

"I found these."

Mike's voice sounds behind him, and Harvey turns, stealing the crochet blankets from the younger lawyer's hand.

Rather than push his questions, Mike splashes down the mug of tea he's holding, scrambling to focus on the next course of action he should take. "Did you dial 911?"

Harvey shakes his head, tucking the wool over her trembling fingers. He'd been too preoccupied with getting her warm to stop and call an ambulance, but she nudges him, her lips begging him not to with a small pout. He settles his palm over her knee, giving it a light squeeze as he pushes up to sit beside her. He'd feel better getting her checked out by a doctor, but can understand her not wanting to be poked and prodded. He doesn't want to let her out of his sight, either, and he signals to Mike he should wait.

Mike takes the hint, letting Harvey's intuition be his guide, and he moves around to lower himself next to Donna. His first thought was that she'd somehow locked herself out, but the anger carefully concealed in Harvey's expression suggests something else, and he takes a deep breath. "What happened?" he asks quietly, shifting his gaze between the pair.

Donna frowns, feeling Harvey's arm fall protectively around her, and she leans into the contact, finding his gaze as she attempts to piece together what she can remember. "You t...texted..." She forces the words out through her chattering teeth, confusion twisting her brow. "I saw… the note… on your desk."

He swallows thickly, reaching for the cup of tea, and bringing it up to help soothe her throat. He didn't leave the note, and he sure as hell didn't send any texts. The last time he'd reached out had been this morning. So when she's finished with the warm liquid, he sets the mug down again, swiping her purse off the table and rummaging through it for her phone. When he unlocks the device he goes straight to her messages, and sure enough, the last one is from his number, asking her to meet him at the firm.

His stomach knots tightly as he presses the weight of his own cell still lodged in his pocket. Whoever lured her here had the means to hack his phone, along with his security code, and he thrusts the object at Mike with a low growl. "They did this."

Mike's attention darts to the time the message was sent, 4.15pm—just after they'd confirmed their meeting with Blaine, and he scrubs a weary hand over his face.

Donna blinks, her shoulders starting to ache with pins and needles, but she tries to ignore the discomfort, still shivering as she takes in Harvey's tightly wound jaw. "Who… d..did what?"

The fear clouding her eyes breaks his heart, and if she can't remember—he doesn't want her trying. It's bad enough she was left out there. The fact someone had subdued and bound her is seared in his memory, drowning his lungs with guilt, and he sucks in sharply, opening his mouth but finding his voice mute when he tries to speak.

"We took on a case against a global tech company, ASYNCS." Mike supplies, filling in the gaps he can see Harvey struggling with. He feels awful, too. Never in a million years did he think investigating Goulding would lead to this, but shielding Donna won't protect her. If anything, keeping her in the dark will only make things worse. "One of our associates thought they might have been involved in something shady so we went to Portland to check it out. I think they did this as a warning… to back off."

He watches the recognition slowly flicker across her face, and he softens his expression, being as gentle as he can with his questions. "Do you remember anything after you went up to the roof? Did you see or hear anyone?"

"I…" She swallows, registering that her mouth feels strange, and she thinks, maybe, it had been covered by something, but the recollection is hazy, and she can't be sure. "I… don't know, I'm sorry, Mike."

"It's okay—"

"The hell it is," Harvey snaps, glaring at the younger man. She shouldn't be goddamn apologising. They're the ones responsible for putting her at risk, but the look Mike shoots back has just as much heat behind it, and he bites down hard on the inside of his cheek, recognising the silent communication. Donna needs him to keep his emotions in check, not go flying off the handle, but his body doesn't accept the ask, shaking with unwanted adrenaline. He's circling breaking point, and he steals the mug of the table, removing the tea under the guise of getting more. "I'll be right back."

Donna winces as he stands up, his feet tearing away from her towards the door. She's seen him angry before, but the sudden abandonment scares her, and she startles when Mike's grip lightly pinches her knee.

"You okay?" he asks carefully, searching her expression to make sure she isn't concealing anything. Putting Harvey's needs above her own is ingrained behaviour, and he's wary she could be suffering from shock, her growing silence fuelling his concern. "Donna?"

"You should check on him," she mumbles absently, worry replacing the haze of confusion still swimming around her.

"I will," he assures her. "Once I know you're really okay."

She swallows, not sure she is. Aside from the painful throb in her hands and feet, she's reeling with the information someone had ambushed her—the ordeal made worse by her foggy memory. She doesn't know what happened, but Harvey had obviously found her, and she doesn't want him to do anything rash, like act out in retaliation. "I'm fine, Mike, please."

A sigh coils in his chest, torn over what to do. He wishes Rachel were here, knowing Donna would be more likely to open up to his wife, but Donna isn't in any danger waiting by herself. The kitchen's just down the hall, and there are still people working, urging him to go after Harvey. "Stay here." He brushes the blankets heaped over her shoulder, leaving to find her husband, hoping the man hasn't stormed off far.

To his relief, Mike finds him hunched over the sink, and he steps across the tiles, taking in Harvey's withdrawn, pale complexion. He gets it. The attack was malicious, personal, but everything had been orchestrated with precision. Donna doesn't seem to be hurt, just rattled. Their biggest problem, right now, is Harvey losing perspective, and he attempts to bring the man back around with a gentle but firm tone. "Whoever did this made sure we'd find her," he says, leaning towards where the facts are pointed. "They wanted to scare you, Harvey, that's all."

"Well, it goddamn worked." A low growl emanates from his anger, not giving a shit what the intention was. Finding Donna nearly hypothermic delivered one clear message—that he'd failed to protect his wife. Scare tactic or not, a hundred things could have prevented him from reaching her in time. Maybe ASYNCS had been trying to intimidate Goulding as well—the man still wound up dead, and the 'what if' barrels out beneath a wrenched breath. "If she'd been out there any longer, Mike—"

"I know." He's not making excuses for the corporation, but envisioning the worst won't help either. Spinning in circles will only fuel Harvey's guilt, and the man needs to stay focused. "Hey, listen to me." Mike lops his hand over Harvey's shoulder with a soft squeeze."Donna's going to be fine… but right now she's in there terrified you're going to go off and do something stupid. I know you're angry, but you need to get on top of this."

Harvey breathes out slowly, knowing the words aren't being said to make him feel worse. Mike is right. Donna needs to be his priority, and he's grateful for the candid reminder.

His stance sags in submission, and Mike drops his arm, relieved. "Why don't you take her home. I'll call the police and they can—"

"No." Harvey shakes his head, heeding the younger man's advice, and preparing himself to take a step back, because he's not willing to put any of them in ASYNCS cross-hairs again. If the global corporation covered up Goulding's death, and coerced a judge, then they need to tread carefully. "We're not saying anything, not until we know more."

Mike frowns, worried the cloak and dagger approach is the wrong one to take. The police are an insurance policy, not the enemy, and having the incident on record could work in their favor down the line. "Harvey…"

"Mike," he voices the stern warning. "If ASYNCS hacked my phone, you think they won't figure out we've gone to the police? You want me on top of this, you have to let me handle it." For once, he isn't showboating. He'd spent years without a real family. The closest, functioning, relationship he's had was with Donna and Jessica, and he'd still put his career above their needs so he could get ahead. He isn't that man anymore. The drive to fight still propels him forward, but he has things in his life he can't afford to lose now. Donna means everything to him, and he's not going to put her, Mike, Rachel or anyone else at risk.

Mike takes in Harvey's resolute expression, the way his former mentor's knuckles tighten over the counter-top, and he realizes Harvey was never in danger of acting out impulsively, or at least not in the way Mike had assumed he would. "You're thinking about dropping the case." Harvey angles his head slightly, and Mike's eyes widen with surprise. Like Donna, he'd expected Harvey to retaliate, not give up. The man doesn't buckle under pressure but he quickly realizes this is different, because Donna's different. She's Harvey's strength, but at times, also his weaknesses, and Mike doesn't blame the man for wanting to keep her safe, but they have options, they just need to look at them objectively. "I'm not saying we should go ahead… but if we don't, Harvey, then they win."

"And what if they come after you next, or Rachel?" he asks, the question landing close to a threat, but he doesn't care. Finding Donna the way he had, no idea if she was alive or breathing, is a memory that's going to haunt his dreams for years to come, and he wouldn't wish the ordeal on his worst enemy, let alone his best friend.

"That's why we need to call the police, for protection," Mike counters, trying to sway Harvey around to the idea.

"With what proof?" He throws back, frustrated he's having to explain any of this when it should be obvious. They work in law for christ's sake. Mike should know better than to assume the authorities will drop everything to help just because they lodge a complaint. If he and Mike decide to prosecute, and that's a big if as far as he's concerned, they're going to need their own leverage, not some flimsy connection to a ghost in Chicago. "Mike, I'm asking you to trust me."

He searches Harvey's demeanour, looking for a clue as to whether he should trust the man, but the deciding factor has nothing to do with anything he can see. Like it or not, Harvey's instincts are the thing that makes him a damn good lawyer, and Mike gives in with a sigh. "What are you going to do?"

"Right now... be with my wife." He takes the advice Mike approached him with, calm enough now to compartmentalise everything else. Donna needs him present, not second guessing himself. He's done enough of that the past couple of days and tonight he's going to dedicate himself to being her husband, the man she deserves.

..

As soon as they step into their apartment, Harvey ushers Donna towards the bathroom, turning on a steaming hot shower and paying no attention to the insistence she keeps giving that she's fine.

She'd warmed under the layers he'd wrapped her in back at the office, but had refused to go to the hospital, and ironically, her stubborn determination is the only reassurance that's been able to put his mind at ease. If she hadn't argued her way out of the trip, he'd be more worried right now, but he still takes charge of undressing her, stripping off his running gear, and removing his own clothes to join her under the spray.

Donna gives in and lets him guide her, breathing out a sigh as she sinks back against his naked chest. He wraps his arms around her, and she closes her eyes, absorbing the feel of his lips fluttering over her aching shoulders. Whatever Mike had said to him worked. He'd walked back into the room, completely devoted and attentive to her needs, but she doesn't want him hiding his emotions behind a mask, either. What happened tonight scared both of them. She'd witnessed him on the verge of breaking down, more afraid than she's ever seen him, and even though she wants to press him into opening up, she let's the silence engulf them, feeling her eyelids grow heavy now that she's safe and warm in his tight embrace.

She isn't sure how long she stays leaning on him, but she's close to drifting off when the water suddenly stops, and his voice floats next to her ear.

"You okay?"

She nods, taking more of her weight to reassure him, but he doesn't let go, manoeuvring them out of the cubicle to wrap her up in one of their large, fluffy bath towels. She hugs the material as he covers himself, a sheepish smile tugging her lips, he doesn't give her an inch, directing them back into the bedroom, where he goes to his drawer in search of his own clothes instead of hers. She's always claimed his sweaters are warmer, and he's always argued, teasing that there's no difference, but he pulls out his favourite cream cashmere, and she wordlessly accepts the gesture as he urges her arms up, slipping the jumper over her shoulders. She has a vague feeling of déjà vu when he helps her into a fresh pair of slacks, remembering him doing the same thing back at the firm, but doesn't bring the memory up just yet, swallowing her questions to follow him out into the living room, instead.

She settles on the couch but keeps him in her peripheral while he clatters around the kitchen, making them something to eat. Despite her resolve to keep an eye on him, she drifts off here and there, waking up fully when he places a bowl of chicken soup in front of her. They're not a conventional couple. Forgoing meals at their dining-room table isn't uncommon, but usually he would put some music on, sit back and let her unwind with stories from her day. Tonight, however, his shoulders hunch pensively over his meal, and she knows he's waging a war with himself—that there's a part of him that wants to lash out and another half drowning in guilt. She's worried herself, scared he's been walking around with a target on his back and hadn't felt he could confide in her—something that seems equally as pressing as being locked out on a roof.

He can feel her eyes boring into him, and reluctantly leaves his spoon in the soup, placing the bowl next to hers on the table. He'd keep delaying the inevitable if he could, but she has a right to know what she's been mixed up in. His problem is that the answers he has aren't enough. He's here instead of out ripping Blaine to shreds, and this is where he wants to be, but the lack of information he has doesn't exactly back the assurance Donna's safe, even though she is. He's not letting her out of his sight until he at least has a plan in place, but he owes her some kind of explanation, and he forces himself to start with the obvious. "I underestimated the situation."

She wrinkles her brow, appreciating he's breaking the ice first, but he's steering them in the wrong direction. She doesn't blame him for what happened. Her biggest concern is why he didn't come to her, and how much trouble he's landed himself in, not that he'd put a foot wrong. "What's the case?" she asks, trying to lead him back around.

"Our client is claiming ASYNCS have been illegally trading their customer's personal information for profit. Their lawyer called with a bullshit deal to settle," he fills her in, wishing he'd poured a scotch to help explain why she'd been left vulnerable—because he'd indulged Blaine when his gut knew something wasn't right. "She was stalling. I should have figured out why, but I thought—"

"Harvey, stop." She shifts closer, shaking her head at him. "It's not your fault… You couldn't have known the meeting was a set up."

Her easy forgiveness coils in his chest, and he rubs a hand across his face with a sigh. He couldn't have known, and yet, somehow, that only makes him feel worse. She'd been suffering, and he'd had no goddamn idea. Now Mike's expecting him to find a way to crush the multi-million dollar corporation when his instincts are screaming at him to high-tail out in the opposite direction.

He stays quiet, causing the unease gnawing at her to grow. She's always trusted him to know what to do, but he seems lost, unsure of their next move, and she stretches her arm out, curling her fingers gently over his thigh. "Hey… Talk to me."

His leg pulses under the warmth of her touch, and he tilts his gaze, angling his head to look at her. "I don't want to take on ASYNCS if that means putting you, Mike, or anyone else in their firing line."

His expression is pinched with conflict, and she quickly realizes the uncertainty is because he's considering dropping the case. She agrees with being cautious, wanting to drag them all away from danger, but he's never backed down from a fight before, not even when the stakes were at their highest, and she's curious to hear where his partner stands. "What does Mike think?"

He purses his lips together, at odds with the younger man's naïve approach. "He wants us to call the police."

She can see he's not on board with the idea, and truthfully, she isn't either. Without proof, making an accusation would only antagonise the corporation and lead to a possible retaliation. Something they're not geared up for without more information. "Harvey, you can't."

"I know." He forces a soft smile, pushing aside his guilt to steal a moment of appreciation from the fact she can read him better than anyone else. He respects Mike, and the guy's not a kid anymore, but he and Donna have always been on the same wavelength, and he should have made the time to tell her what was going on, not just assumed she was too busy or that he needed to prove he could handle himself without her. "I'm sorry I didn't mention the case."

She's surprised by the genuine apology, but schools her features, not quite ready to let him off the hook just yet. "Why didn't you?"

"Things were just... " He stalls with a shrug, afraid to verbally acknowledge the tension that's been simmering between them. But she wields a curious look, and he relents with a soft sigh. "I didn't know if you'd want to hear about it."

She frowns, not sure what he's getting at, and he can sense the confusion in her silence. The pause is a sign he needs to clarify his feelings and he twists his fingers together, hoping the distraction will help him be able to vocalise the truth he's been struggling with. "You've been happy, Donna. More than… The theatre suits you, and I guess… I've been wondering where I fit into it all."

She's never seen him so nervous, and she knows a lot of his hesitation has to do with what happened to her tonight, but that's not the only place his doubt is stemming from. Hearing him admit he's jealous, not of another man, but of her job, is something she hadn't seen coming, even though he has no reason to be afraid of the new venture. "Harvey, you fit because you're my husband." He gazes up at the statement and her lips curve around a genuine smile. "I didn't marry you because I thought you were hiding a secret love for the theatre…"

Heat flushes his neck as he takes in her warm gaze, letting himself relax under the reassurance. "You sure?"

She nods, wondering how she'd managed to miss something that now seems so obvious. Of course he'd be questioning his part in the change. Law is something that's kept them intrinsically linked for over a decade, a field he's never had any desire to leave. But just because she'd wanted to try something different, doesn't mean she didn't love her old role, or that she regrets working for him. "This might surprise you, but some people can enjoy doing more than one job."

He expels a soft huff, and she slides her fingers through his, clasping them with a soft squeeze. "I miss being with you, too. It's hard. Which is why when I come home and tell you about my day, I am happy. Because you make me happy, Harvey"

His body responds to her touch, and it's like he can finally breathe properly again, the depth of her assurance blanketing all the doubts he's been having. Anyone else, and he'd be feeling embarrassed, but her smile quietly boosts his confidence, and he leans back, tucking her in against his chest. "I'm sorry," he breathes out his second apology for the evening, pressing his lips against the top of her hair. He'd been an idiot, running off to Portland when he should have come home to her instead, and if she hadn't been okay tonight, he never would have forgiven himself.

His hold tightens around her, and she angles her gaze up, wishing she could smooth out the lines of guilt wrinkling his frown. He doesn't need to keep apologising, but they do have to figure out what they're going to do next.

"Why would they try to threaten you off the case?" she asks curiously. "They're a multi-million dollar company, why not just settle?"

The question is one he's been wracking his brain trying to figure out, but there's every change if he and Mike hadn't uncovered the link to Goulding, ASYNCS would have taken the deal. Which means Michael found out something Toby didn't, and the global company is hiding something—he just has no idea what.

"There was a similar suit filed in Chicago. The kid was involved in an accident before his claim went to trial and didn't make it... so Mike and I drove to Portland to talk to his parents. We didn't find a lead, but ASYNCS must have found out we were looking into one."

Her heart skips a beat, scared he'd put himself in danger by investigating the connection, but he hadn't been wrong to search for the truth. He'd joined Mike and Rachel's firm because he'd wanted to make a difference, go out and fight for the good guys, and she hates that she was used as a pawn to make him second guess himself.

He gazes down at her silence, reading the thoughtful look playing across her expression, and he takes a stab at what she's considering, hoping deep down he's wrong. "You think we should go to trial."

"I think you need to figure out what ASYNCS are hiding and then trust your instincts." She doesn't want to tell him what to do one way or the other. He's right to be concerned about their safety, especially after everything he just told her, but they've faced people coming after them before. They just have to stay vigilant.

He understands where she's coming from, but feels like he can't trust himself, knowing she's now involved. But after everything she's been through tonight, it's also her unwavering faith that makes him reconsider going up against the corporate giant. "You're my instincts," he says softly, smoothing the hair away from her face. "I wouldn't have made it this far without you."

"I'm your compass," she smiles, giving him credit where credit is due. "There's a difference."

Not one that he can see, he thinks, but rather than argue, he sweeps down to capture her lips, savouring the taste of what it feels like to be holding her close and not worry about what tomorrow might bring. Having her nestled in his arms is enough to banish the pressure, and knowing she's on his side, however he decides to move forward, is all the reassurance he needs.

Thank you to the amazing Southsidesister (darvey_love) for making this chapter the best it could be! And to to Beth (NAhavenbb) for paving the way :D And to all the reviewers who are giving their support XxXx